Who You'd be Today
by SmurfyFriend
Summary: It seems like so long ago that the Titans became short one... Cyborg takes a break from working on his car, and goes for a walk to think about that lost friend. SONGFIC: "WHO YOU'D BE TODAY" BY KENNY CHESNEY


Things were quiet in Jump City, for once. There were a few burglaries here and there, a random mugging or a drunken mishap or two. But for the most part, crime had calmed down significantly in the large city. That left quite a bit of thinking time for the Teen Titans, the five that defended the city.

Or, at least it would have, if there were still five.

There were only four these days.

* * *

"_**Sunny days seem to hurt the most.  
I wear the pain like a heavy coat."**_

* * *

One teen in particular felt the fifth's member's absence more than anyone in the T-shaped tower. That adolescent was the fifth's best friend. Cyborg. Half man, half machine. But strangely, all human. And humans feel pain. Cyborg felt this pain like he'd felt no other.

This day in particular, the African- American adolescent was working on his beloved car in the garage of the large T. He didn't bother playing video games as much anymore. They weren't as fun without the missing friend around to rub his face in it. Cyborg stopped beating the dents from the car for a moment, and heaved a heavy sigh. He glanced at the picture that sat on the desk not far away. It was a simple picture, one that Cyborg didn't even know he had until after it happened. It was him and his friend, fighting over a video game controller, while Starfire fussed over some sort of Tamaranean abomination to the taste buds and Robin seemed to shout something about his stereo not being loud enough. "It's been a long time, Cyborg." The cybernetic teenager glanced towards the doorway, seeing the tights-clad Robin in the doorway, "You should go see him."

* * *

"_**I feel you everywhere I go."**_

* * *

Cyborg's grip tightened on the picture frame. "I can't, Robin." He said dully, "Not when I know it's my fault."

"You didn't know…" Robin said softly, walking over to where Cyborg held the picture, "_NOBODY_ knew… _NOBODY_ saw it coming. It was an accident, Cyborg…"

"An accident that cost my best friend his _life_!" Cyborg half snapped, placing the picture down on the desk. "It was in _MY_ car, I should've been prepared for something like that!"

Robin was quiet, watching as the mechanical teenager went back to work pounding out dents in the car that shielded the rest of them from disaster that fateful day. "I'm not saying that you don't have a right to be angry, Cy." Robin looked down at the ground. "I'm just saying, Beast Boy wouldn't want it that way."

Cyborg stopped his work for a minute, and sighed. "I know, Rob." He said quietly, "I just_… I'm not ready yet_."

Cyborg stared at the picture again. that annoyed look across the green-skinned teenager's face… it reminded him of all the other moments they'd shared… the bad guys they defeated together… the video games played… the meals argued about… the laughs they got out of pranking each other…

* * *

"**I see your smile, I see your face,  
I hear you laughin' in the rain."**

* * *

"_It's been a year, Cyborg_." Robin's voice was low again. "We're all still recovering… but… you know he wouldn't want us all to dwell."

Cyborg tore his gaze away from the picture. "Yeah… I know…"

* * *

"_**Still can't believe you're gone."**_

* * *

Cyborg put his hammer down next to the car, running a hand over the detailing. "I'm goin' for a walk, Rob." He said, "I'll be back later."

"Okay." Robin shrugged and went to his cherry red motorcycle in the corner of the garage, "Just… promise you'll at least _try_ to go…?"

Cyborg stopped at the door. He wasn't sure he could keep that promise. "I'll try…" he said softly, "I'll try to go."

The cybernetic teen made his way out to the main street, where he walked through the city, subconsciously towards the park. He tried as best as he could to avoid _THAT_ corner…

* * *

"_**It ain't fair: you died too young,  
Like the story that had just begun,  
But death tore the pages all away."**_

* * *

The memory of the day was still fresh in the young adult's mind. Who could forget something like that…?

"_Okay, Cyborg! I got it already!" the cracky voice of the green shapeshifter groaned impatiently, "small one's the gas, big one in the middle's the brake, take the parking break off, I'm ready already!"_

"_I don't want you wrecking my baby, BB." Cyborg said, all seriousness in his face, "If I promise to teach you how to drive, you've gotta promise me you'll be careful in the T-car."_

"_Fine," Beast Boy slumped slightly in his seat, then sat up. "I, Beast Boy, _PROMISE _That I'll be super careful in the T-car."_

"ANNND_…" Cyborg smirked, waiting to hear the rest of their agreement. _

"_And that I, Beast Boy, will wash and wax said T-Car whenever you, Cyborg takes me out driving or if I borrow the T-car." Beast Boy added, less than enthusiastically. "Now come on, let's drive!"_

"_Usually we're the ones preventing danger." A much less than enthusiastic voice spoke from the back seat, "Now we're putting people _IN_ danger putting Beast Boy behind the wheel."_

"_I'm not certain I understand," the orange-skinned girl commented, putting a finger to her lip and looking up at the ceiling in thought, "If we're putting Beast Boy behind the wheel, shouldn't he be behind the car, outside?"_

"_It's a figure of speech, Starfire," Robin explained, also stationed in the back seat, "It means Beast Boy's finally allowed to drive."_

"_Yep!" Beast Boy nodded enthusiastically, smug grin across his face, "And it only took me three tries in Driver's Ed to get my permit!"_

"_Wow. The third time really _is_ the charm." The unenthusiastic dark-haired girl in the back seat leaned against the passenger-side window and stared down at the book in her hands. _

"_Friend- Raven, what is this about the number three being a charm?" Starfire tilted her head, "Three isn't that lucky of a number." _

_Raven just took a deep breath, and refused to acknowledge the question. "Alright now, let's start this already." Cyborg swallowed, slightly nervous. "Go on, BB. Show us what 'cha got. Drive us to the Pizza Palace for lunch." _

"WITHOUT_ killing us." Raven added sarcastically._

_Beast Boy gave her a slight glare, then started up the car, and, surprisingly cautiously, navigated through the city. "Okay, I admit," Cyborg commented, while they were at a stop light at an intersection, "You're doin' a'ight on your first time out in the T-Car." _

"_Yeah, I'm impressed." Robin added, an impressed smirk across his features._

"_Thanks." Beast Boy thanked him with a grin._

"_And you only almost ran over one pedestrian!" Starfire chimed._

"_Hey, that was Gizmo, and he was _ASKING_ for it!" Beast Boy said defensively._

_The teenagers in the car all snickered, partially agreeing with his comment. Just then, the light turned green, and Beast Boy let off the break, applying steady pressure to the gas. _

_Nobody saw it coming. _

_Nobody saw the truck until it plowed straight into the T-Car on the driver's side, making the entire car spin out of control into a lamp post. _

_And Nobody knew just how bad it was until moments later._

* * *

"_**God knows how I miss you,  
All the hell that I've been through,  
Just knowin' no-one could take your place."**_

* * *

"_Is everyone alright?!" Robin demanded, immediately stepping out of the car._

_The two girls nodded in compliance, but Cyborg stepped out of the car, hands to his head, jaw open wide at the mangled mess that was now his beloved T-Car. "__**My BABY**__!" he stared on disbelievingly, "Beast Boy, you are gonna pay for this one!"_

_There was no response from the usually loudmouthed teenager. This was unsettling to the rest of the team. "Beast Boy?" Cyborg looked in through the open door at the green-skinned teenager, who had his face against the steering wheel. "B?"_

"_Something's wrong." Robin spoke urgently, "Raven, see if you can move it!"_

"_**Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"**__ Raven quickly moved the car from away from the pole, then ripped the door from the driver's side. _

_Cyborg was the first to reach Beast Boy. The green teenager's face was battered and bloodied, little shards of glass had splintered off and cut his cheek, his eyes were half closed, mouth open very slightly, and his neck was bent at a sickening angle. "__**Beast Boy!**__" Cyborg plucked the much smaller teenager from the wrecked car, laying him down on the pavement, __**"Robin, call an ambulance! NOW!"**_

* * *

"_**An' sometimes I wonder,  
Who'd you be today?"**_

* * *

Cyborg closed his eyes and tilted his head to the sky. Beast Boy loved traveling on missions… he made a comment in passing that he hoped they'd get a mission in Africa someday, so then he'd get a chance to see the wildlife. But now, he'd never get the chance.

Because some drunk driver blew a red light, the Teen Titans would never see Beast Boy's smile again.

At least, not in this life.

Cyborg had to stop walking. He was barely even fifteen… He'd just gotten his learner's permit… That was his **FIRST** drive in the T-Car… He had so much ahead of him…. Dating, and girls… First cars… First jobs that didn't involve an alien race and tofu… He had so much ahead, and in half an instant it was gone.

* * *

"**Would you see the world? Would you chase your dreams?"**

* * *

As Cyborg walked, he couldn't help but hear the sounds of a baseball game not far away. Would he have ever found love? Gotten married, raised kids…? Seemed like a possibility, the guy was more like a kid than an adult.

* * *

"_**Settle down with a family,  
I wonder what would you name your babies?"**_

* * *

Cyborg cracked a smile for the first time in what felt like forever. The day was so beautiful, it was days like this the team would go to the park, throw the football around. Starfire would watch Cyborg and Robin throw the ball, Beast Boy would be pestering them to try his nasty tofu burgers… Cyborg could almost see them enjoying the day at their usual spot now as he passed it.

* * *

"_**Some days the sky's so blue,  
I feel like I can talk to you,"**_

* * *

It must've been coincidence that he ended up where he did. It had to have been, right? Cyborg gave a sigh, and proceeded to walk through the great metal gates of the cemetery.

* * *

"_**An' I know it might sound crazy."**_

* * *

Cyborg walked the winding paths of the cemetery, passing by widows and family members, clad in black. And for once in his life, the stares he got didn't even faze him.

* * *

"_**It ain't fair: you died too young,  
Like the story that had just begun,  
But death tore the pages all away."**_

* * *

At last, he reached the granite headstone that marked his friend's grave. "Yo, BB." Cyborg said, kneeling down next to the grave. "I know, it's been awhile."

Cyborg could almost hear him snap something back in reply. "I know… I've been a pretty sucky friend staying away this long."

The cybernetic teen leaned back so he sat next to the gravestone. "Robin and Starfire finally hooked up," he said, "Guess you won that bet."

Cyborg snickered slightly, and sighed. "I miss you, Beast Boy. We all do." Cyborg stared down at the ground in front of the head stone, "Every single day, I've wished it was me driving to the Pizza Palace… I would've been able to withstand the shock…" the adolescent's human eye watered. "That's… _why_ it was designed the way it was… the Driver's side didn't have as much protection, because… Because I didn't think I was ever going to let you, or anyone else drive…"Cyborg hid his face with his hands. "It… _It was all my fault, BB_… and I'm sorry… You're my best friend, man… I miss your smile… I miss your laugh… I miss playin' video games with you… I even miss your nasty tofu…" Despite himself, Cyborg chuckled. "and _NO_, it really _DOESN'T_ taste like meat. It just tastes like mush, no matter what you say."

Cyborg put his hand to the headstone. "The team's been down to four since you died, buddy." He said, "I don't think they're _ever _going to fill that slot."

* * *

"_**God knows how I miss you,  
All the hell that I've been through,  
Just knowin' no-one could take your place."**_

* * *

"You _came_?" Cyborg almost jumped hearing the voice behind him.

"_You _came?" Cyborg turned around, seeing Robin standing before the headstone, flowers in one hand. "You're not even in your tights."

Robin snickered slightly, and put the lilies down on the headstone. "Nah." He said, "Somehow, it just didn't seem appropriate."

There was a silence between the two for a while. "What made you decide to come?" Robin asked at last.

Cyborg shrugged. "I don't know… Call it magnetism."

* * *

"_**Sometimes, I wonder,**_

_**Who you'd be today."**_

* * *

Cyborg looked up at the sky. "I wonder if he would've found himself a girlfriend by now." He muttered.

Robin shrugged, sitting down next to the headstone. "Probably not," he said, "Cause we never really get to meet girls that don't try to kill us, not just because we're different."

* * *

"_**Sunny days seem to hurt the most.  
I wear the pain like a heavy coat."**_

* * *

Cyborg closed his eyes, trying to picture his lost friend again. He could almost picture him now, a year older, not a lot of change, smiling just like when he was alive. But before either of them could make a comment, their communicators started beeping and buzzing. "We got trouble." Robin said gravely.

Cyborg nodded, and watched as Robin sped off towards the parking lot. Cyborg glanced down at the granite headstone.

"Well, B, duty calls." He said, putting a hand to the stone. "I'll…. Try to come back soon… Okay…?"

* * *

"_**The only thing that gives me hope,"**_

* * *

Cyborg ran off towards the approaching danger, his heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time.

* * *

"_**Is I know I'll see you again some day."**_


End file.
